Advertise on DISCO3.CO.UK
Forum · Gallery · Wiki · Shop · Sponsors
DISCO3.CO.UK > General (D4)

Confused Newb! - Is Landrover the right Choice?
Post Reply  Down to end
Page 1 of 2 12>
confusednewb
 


Member Since: 21 Jan 2010
Location: Bristol
Posts: 1

Confused Newb! - Is Landrover the right Choice?

Hi All ,

Can someone please give me some helpful advise!

I am looking to purchase my fist 4 x 4 mainly to tow my 18Ft boat and also have two young children.

I have read SOOO many BAD reports about the reliabilty of Landrovers that I am very concerned if buying a New Discovery 4 is the Right thing to do or not.

I have also read some VERY good reviews on the new discovery 4 and have also test driven one which felt very good and I am very keen on buying one.

Can someone please give advise on weather all the BAD reliability issues etc is really that BAD or do the good points out way the bad!

I really like the New Discovery 4 ...BUT am I reading too much into the reliabilty / Bad reports / reviews from previous Landrover owners.......!

I would welcome good advise from previous Discovery owners and new Discovery 4 oweners that have used the vehicle for a reasonable time.... Thanks ! Confused
  
Post #58662521st Jan 2010 10:23 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
2DISCO3ORNOT
 


Member Since: 27 Apr 2009
Location: at sea
Posts: 1209


YES!
  
Post #58663321st Jan 2010 10:27 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
jm105845
 


Member Since: 21 Aug 2007
Location: dublin
Posts: 271

Ireland 2006 LR3 TDV6 XS Auto Zambezi SilverLR3

good points out way the bad
i am on my 2nd disco3 and yes i have some issues
but i have had them from new so warranty fixed any
issues
it is a dream to tow
take the plunge you wil not regret it

regards

jj
  
Post #58664021st Jan 2010 10:33 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Matthewnoble
 


Member Since: 22 Sep 2009
Location: Cordes sur Ciel
Posts: 31

France 2006 Discovery 3 TDV6 SE Manual Santorini BlackDiscovery 3

Our kids love the vehicle, no bugs or problems on our second hand disco 3 as yet. It tows beautifully!

Matt
 One day I'll get there!  
Post #58664721st Jan 2010 10:43 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
DiscoStu
 


Member Since: 09 Apr 2006
Location: London
Posts: 11412

England 

There are good ones, there are bad ones. There are far more good than bad ones, but you mainly hear about the bad ones. This is the same for any marque.

BUT - even if if you have a bad one, just owning/driving it more than makes up for it Thumbs Up Mr. Green Take one for a test drive.
 Disco 5 HSE Lux
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=peyiqaJrmMU 
 
Post #58665121st Jan 2010 10:46 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Snowy
 


Member Since: 06 Jul 2007
Location: At the end of my tether
Posts: 3079

England 
Re: Confused Newb! - Is Landrover the right Choice?

confusednewb wrote:
I am looking to purchase my fist 4 x 4 mainly to tow my 18Ft boat and also have two young children.


Although it is a very clever and technically advanced vehicle, the D3/D4 will not be able to assist you in getting two young children.
 The surest sign that intelligent life exists elsewhere in the universe is that none of it has tried to contact us yet.  
Post #58665721st Jan 2010 11:00 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Send e-mail Reply with quote
DSL
Keeper of the wheelie bin 


Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72739

Ukraine 

I complain all the time about the reliability of mine but the hassle factor is way outweighed by the plus points. Up here in the Heelands nothing else does the job as well in all conditions. Just don't expect Japanese reliability, the premium image LR like to crow about is not matched by the build quality, as long as you accept that all will be well.

Mind you, just discovered a 6" crack in the screen of one if mine few days before MOT(I run 2) but SWMBO wouldn't let me change it for a nice new D4 HSE sitting at the dealer to avoid the hassle of getting the screen changed!
   
Post #58665821st Jan 2010 11:01 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
DiscoDunc
 


Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390

England 2010 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 HSE Auto Aintree GreenDiscovery 4

confusednewb, where in Bristol are you.

I would be happy to meet up - you can have a ride in mine and have a good poke around !!

they are no where near as bad as people say - or beleive.

thing is, you only hear all the bad bits on forums. I gues LRs have a reputation fopr breaking down because there a re so many old one on the road. ie how many 25 year old + mercedes, BMW, VW 4x4's do you see driving around Whistle - most have dropped to peices years ago.

there are a few things to look out for if buying second hand like any used car.

i used to tow a 7m RIB and it towed perfectly and was launced in soft sand, pebbly beach etc with ease. plenty of room inside to dump the trailer board without getting road grime and other crap all over the seats Thumbs Up

I dont agree that the build quality is poor (sorry DSL Whistle ) - my D3 has been much more reliable than my previous Merc and the niggly problems ive had have been sorted by the dealer first time - none of this back and forth to the dealers with lots of head scratching....

Happy to meet for a chat if you like. Thumbs Up
 Duncan
-----------------------------------------------------
If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide 


Last edited by DiscoDunc on 21st Jan 2010 11:43 am. Edited 2 times in total 
Post #58669021st Jan 2010 11:34 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
DiscoDunc
 


Member Since: 08 May 2006
Location: Bristol
Posts: 16390

England 2010 Discovery 4 3.0 SDV6 HSE Auto Aintree GreenDiscovery 4
Re: Confused Newb! - Is Landrover the right Choice?

Snowy wrote:
confusednewb wrote:
I am looking to purchase my fist 4 x 4 mainly to tow my 18Ft boat and also have two young children.


Although it is a very clever and technically advanced vehicle, the D3/D4 will not be able to assist you in getting two young children.


unless you are looking to pull the more sophisticated utilitarian chicks !!!
 Duncan
-----------------------------------------------------
If I'd known I was going to be so thirsty this morning I'd have drunk more beer last night.
FFRR Autobiography 4.4 SDV8 MY17
D4 HSE MY13 SOLD
FFRR 3.6 Vogue TDV8 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D4 SE TECH MY15 SOLD
D4 XS MY12 SOLD
D4 HSE MY10 SOLD
D3 HSE MY06 - Re-Cycled Worldwide 
 
Post #58669321st Jan 2010 11:36 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
DSL
Keeper of the wheelie bin 


Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72739

Ukraine 

No worries DD, mine have been good as gold during our little month long freeze, saying that the'll both go on strike now! Up here during the proper snow & cold stuff it wasn't permagrin, it was permasmug!! Whistle Whistle
   
Post #58671021st Jan 2010 12:06 pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
DingMark
 


Member Since: 14 Sep 2007
Location: Perth Oz or Erbil, Iraq
Posts: 388

Iraq 2010 Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 HSE Auto Ipanema SandDiscovery 4

Regarding the "unreliable" reputation, just remember that reputations lag. About 30 yrs ago the reputation of Japanese products was that they used inferior metals and were very agricultural. Now they're.... Also remember that Mercedes had the reputation of highly reliable (then joined up with Chrystler....). I'd say the same for Land Rover. After being oned by BMW and Ford, the reliability is now tops. That said, Land Rovers are capable but that means they're sophisticated and complex machines. More of an Airbus than Tiger Moth, so maintenance has to be sophisticated as well.

Until my beloved D3 was stolen last month, Big Cry I typically used it for high speed runs to very remote, hot, and rugged pipeline locations - often pulling heavy trailer full of pipe flanges and other iron items through sand and over rocks. Okay, the paint doesn't survive impact with rocks but in all that time the D3 only suffered one failure of the EPB, which was a known item now much less frequent. Since I used my D3 to its maximum capablities I greatly decreased service intervals (eg trans and diff fluids changed at 40,000 kms and they needed it).

There are certainly a lot of us who may have written about problems (which in overall context should have been characterise as "niggles") but are delightedly now buying D4's.
 Jim Dowell - D4 HSE TDi, 12,000 hydraulic winch & hidden winch mount, MTRs, TyreDog, Traxide 2 x aux battery system, fixed air compressor, Dolium roof rack, MitchHitch.
RIP 2005 D3 HSE V8 5 seater gold (stolen and torched) 
 
Post #58731222nd Jan 2010 3:40 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Russell
 


Member Since: 23 Aug 2007
Location: Kent
Posts: 10564

United Kingdom 

D3 and D4 both Thumbs Up I have had both and love both, would go for a D4 if you can afford it but that is partially to do with resale value latter. However having said that I think the D4 drives better and is much smoother.
I would suggest that you will not regret buying either. Thumbs Up
 MY17 D5 1st Edition Namib Orange
MY15 D4 HSE Kaikoura Stone
MY12 D4 HSE Nara Bronze Sold and gone
MY11 D4 HSE Stornaway Grey Sold and gone
D3 S spec Silver Sold and gone
Tow bar, full length roof bars, side steps, tow bar storage unit, surround camers.
D4 camera club 
 
Post #58739922nd Jan 2010 10:25 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Send e-mail Reply with quote
Supercharged
 


Member Since: 07 Oct 2006
Location: Northants
Posts: 171

United Kingdom 2010 Discovery 4 3.0 TDV6 HSE Auto Zermatt SilverDiscovery 4

I was a Land Rover newbie a couple of months ago. Go for it!

Forums tend to focus on problems, but the truth is that the D4 is a fantastic car and feels very well built.

I am delighted with mine (and I have only driven German cars for years so am used to top engineering and quality). The D4 matches up well.
 Paul

D4 HSE Zermatt Silver / Ebony 
 
Post #58834523rd Jan 2010 3:40 pm
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
sock
 


Member Since: 23 Jan 2010
Location: herefordshire
Posts: 37

United Kingdom 

I'm new to the forum and I'm considering a D4 HSE or XS. I'm in the same position as the OP with my main concern being reliability.
The main reason I want a large 4x4 is I'm having problems with my back and as I'm 6"4 and 20 stone getting in and out of these types of vehicles is a blessing.
We have a 10 month old baby daughter and 3 large dogs so the extra room is also needed now.

I've been offered a great px by Chelmsford ( though I live in Herefordshire ) and roughly a £2500 discount on a new HSE. I'm tempted but looking at residuals of the disco 3 and the fact I do around 27000 miles per year I'm going to take a loss with depreciation.


My other concern is reliability . I understand that forums generally bring up threads on problems but I've read over the years so many issues with Landrovers that I am slightly concerned. It doesn't help having a father in law who is a contractor and has a Landcruiser. As soon as I mentioned I was considering buying a Land Rover the jokes strarted. He's informed me that he's not towing me when it breaks down!


Problem is that the D4 really it's the only vehicle that ticks all the boxes.
  
Post #58875624th Jan 2010 9:58 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
DSL
Keeper of the wheelie bin 


Member Since: 11 May 2006
Location: Off again! :-)
Posts: 72739

Ukraine 

Welcome sock!! Just tell your FIL that you won't give him a tow when he gets stuck!! Thumbs Up Thumbs Up
   
Post #58877724th Jan 2010 10:37 am
View user's profile Send private message View poster's gallery Reply with quote
Display posts from the last:  
Post Reply Back to top
Page 1 of 2 12>
Jump to:  
Previous Topic | Next Topic >


Posting Rules
You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum



DISCO3.CO.UK Copyright © 2004-2024 Futuranet Ltd & Martin Lewis
DISCO3.CO.UK RSS Feed - All Forums

DISCO3.CO.UK is independent and not affiliated to Land Rover.
Switch to Mobile Site